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I stretch out my hands to You; my soul thirsts for You like a parched land. Selah Psalm 143:6
PARCHED
When Jesus hung upon the cross, he said, “I thirst” (John 19:28). Three things about Christ’s brief statement are of particular note. First, it demonstrated the reality of His physical torment— the dehydration from blood loss was tremendous, thus fulfilling the Scriptures of Christ’s death (Psa 22:15). Second, in receiving wine mixed with gall, Scripture was fulfilled concerning the Messiah’s death (Psa 69:21; John 19:28b, 29); and thus, Jesus is the sufficient Substitute for redeeming the sins of God’s people (Jer 23:15). Third, and most noteworthy, it presents the Lord’s suffering the wrath of God for sins He did not commit; paying a debt the Lord Jesus did not owe (my soul thirsts for you like a parched land). At the beginning of His earthly ministry, Jesus Christ hungered for righteousness, rejecting temptation to turn stones to bread (Matt 4:2-4). At the climax of His earthly mission, Jesus Christ thirsted for the Father’s intimate presence and pleasure— intimacy He had known constantly before darkness fell upon the earth and the Lord Jesus suffered God’s holy and unbridled anger for the sins of those whom He would redeem. Despite being surrounded by the curse of death from incarnation to crucifixion, Jesus Christ hungered to fulfill all righteousness and thirsted to embody God’s holiness.
Do not fear or fret if others criticize you for seeing or seeking Christ in every Scripture. Many souls sadly miss the glorious mark of truly knowing Christ, knowing the power of His resurrection, and sharing in His sufferings, “becoming like Him in His death” (Phil 3:10). Jesus tells us the Scriptures are about Him (John 5:39); and that He “rewards those who seek Him” (Heb 11:6). The greatest reward is Jesus Himself. If heaven is only heavenly because of Christ’s presence, why wouldn’t we want to seek Jesus out in Scripture, in situation and circumstance, and in the lives of fellow saints?
The soul who thirsts for Jesus Christ,
Will be fulfill’d indeed;
For great and glor’ous was the price
He paid to set souls free.
Online Bible Audio/Readings Links (ESV)
11/11 Reading Portions: 2 Kings 24; Hebrews 6; Joel 3; Psalm 143
